To be performed during the Waning Moon

You will need:

Bowl of water
Salt
Fresh Sage Leaves
Sprigs of fresh rosemary.
Cleansing/purifying stones like selenite, kyanite, clear quartz, tourmaline, amethyst, or whatever works for you.
Optional: cleansing herbs to add to the water. I used fresh hyssop flowers and calendula petals.

Place a bowl of clear water on the altar. Place your stones around the bowl, touching the bowl as much as possible. Place salt, rosemary sprig and sage leaves close to bowl.

Cast the circle in your usual way.

Sit comfortably in front of the bowl of water.

Hold fresh sage leaves between your hands and think of what you need to release. This could be illness, or it could be the self-destructive behaviors that you wish to let go. Feel the fresh sage pulling these energies from your body to be cleansed. You might feel the sage leaves grow hot between your palms.

Drop the sage leaves into the water. Tell yourself you are releasing _______. Feel it dropping into the water.

Add a pinch of salt and purifying herbs (if you're using them) to the water. Use the rosemary twig to stir the water widdershins/counterclockwise: visualize _________ being dissolved, and the energy being cleansed and transformed by the salt water, herbs and stones.

Smudge yourself, again focusing on cleansing/healing. Consider what you will do with the strength and energy that will be freed up by your spell. Consider what you will be able to give back to the world in gratitude for being healed. Make a promise to yourself and any gods or spirits you work with that you will use your revived health and energy in positive ways.

When you are finished, pour out the purified water onto the ground. If you're performing your ceremony indoors, you can wait until after the circle is cleared to take the bowl of water outside.

A few notes:

If you are ill, please don't use magic as a substitute for competent medical or psychological care. Do the spell, but also see a medical professional and follow his or her advice. Magic works best when we do our part.

Dried rosemary and sage will work if it's all you have, but fresh really is best for this spell. You can usually find small packages of fresh sage and rosemary in the produce section at the grocery store if you don't have access to a garden.

This spell can easily be used in a group ceremony. All participants can focus on releasing into the sage leaves at the same time: then have each participant drop their leaves into the bowl and stir the water widdershins a few times with the rosemary. Allow each participant to decide whether or not she wishes to speak about what she is releasing.

There are times when pouring out your water outdoors isn't possible. As long as you maintain the focus of your intention, and pour the water out with respectful purpose, you could pour it down the drain at the end of the spell.